A Texas Department of Public Safety officer was struck by a vehicle in South Austin on Friday night and taken to a hospital, according to the Austin Police Department. The officer's injuries are considered not life-threatening, and detention or arrest details were not immediately available.
APD Watch Command confirmed the officer was struck near South Congress Avenue and Ben White Boulevard, according to CBS Austin, which reported the crash and noted the story was still developing as more information became available. The outlet, citing APD, said the officer was transported to a hospital following the collision.
A Notoriously Dangerous Stretch of Road
The interchange where the trooper was hit has a reputation among local traffic safety analysts as one of South Austin's most hazardous intersections, according to Glen Larson Law Injury Attorneys. The law firm's discussion points to congestion, commercial-vehicle volume, limited visibility, merging and changing traffic speeds as factors in dangerous intersections.
The corridor's traffic conditions have drawn scrutiny beyond this single incident. The collision underscores the risks of roadside stops and emergency responses on busy urban roads.
Texas Troopers Face Persistent Roadside Risk
The Austin crash highlights the risks for Texas state troopers working near active roadways.
One of those deaths came in September 2024, when 25-year-old Trooper Kevin Alexis Ramirez Vasquez died after being struck by a vehicle while investigating a crash along SH 302 in Ector County, according to MyParisTexas. He was the 241st DPS officer killed in the line of duty since 1823. Hoodline previously reported on his death.
Not every roadside strike ends in tragedy. Alpine-based Trooper Zachary Vasquez, struck by a vehicle on a West Texas highway shoulder, took his first steps in a major recovery milestone this past August after weeks of intensive care and leg surgeries, Hoodline reported in coverage of his rehab progress.
Stricter Penalties, Persistent Violations
Texas lawmakers moved to address the pattern of roadside strikes with House Bill 898 in September 2023, which modified Texas Transportation Code § 545.157 to require drivers approaching a stopped emergency vehicle with active lights to vacate the adjacent lane or slow to 20 mph below the posted speed limit. First-offender violations that cause bodily injury can be a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to a year in jail and fines of $500 to $1,250, according to the Coppell Fire Department.
Despite the stiffer penalties, roadside vehicle strikes remain a persistent hazard for officers statewide. Texas' Move Over/Slow Down law requires drivers to take precautions around stopped emergency vehicles.
Why State Troopers Patrol Austin Streets
Texas DPS troopers have maintained continuous patrol operations in Austin since 2023, when state police were first deployed to support the understaffed Austin Police Department with traffic enforcement and emergency response, according to The Texas Tribune. Governor Greg Abbott directed troopers to keep patrolling the city after Austin suspended its formal partnership with the state.
The arrangement has placed state troopers on Austin-area roads.
Austin's Broader Traffic Safety Picture
The crash also arrives against a backdrop of citywide traffic-safety concerns.
Efforts to redesign high-speed corridors such as the one where this week's trooper was struck can be complicated by jurisdictional divisions.
Statewide, the danger extends well beyond any single intersection.
As of Friday morning, it remained unclear whether APD or DPS would pursue criminal charges under Transportation Code § 545.157 against the driver involved, whether distraction or impairment played a role, or what specific assignment the injured trooper was carrying out at the time of the crash. CBS Austin noted the story was continuing to develop.
